The Short Course on the Application of Machine Learning for Automated Quantification of Behavior

Location: Hybrid - The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor ME, & Virtual

This 4-day JAX Short Course will focus on the fundamentals of quantitative behavior analysis, machine learning, and data science, and will be aimed at researchers from the fields of neuroscience, genetics, and biomedical research.

In-Person Capacity: 40 | Virtual Option Available

Registration is Open

Oct 09 - 12

2023

About

Over the past few years, behavior quantification and modeling has experienced an explosion of innovation and discovery largely enabled by application of new machine learning methods. These methods have enabled the quantification of behavior at high temporal and spatial resolution, and in concordance with simultaneous measurement and manipulation of neural and genetic function. However, access to this revolutionary technology is limited primarily due to a lack of adequate resources and training. Democratization of this technology through training of the next generation of scientists is necessary to elevate the field of quantitative behavior.

The Short Course on the Application of Machine Learning for Automated Quantification of Behavior will disseminate the theoretical and technical knowledge of this field, and train researchers to apply machine learning methods to behavior quantitation and modeling. Our goal is to build an educational program that fosters productive and interactive dialogue, teaches proper methodology, and provides support structure to nurture and lower the barrier of entry into this nascent field. The course will:

teach the theoretical basis of machine learning and its applications to quantitative animal behavior analyses
offer hands-on training in experimental workflow, analysis tools and algorithms
showcase key biological applications
foster organic collaborations across disparate fields

This course is appropriate for early career researchers from the fields of neuroscience, genetics, and biomedical research and will prioritize diverse learners and those who are educators and mentors. The short course will also include scientific lectures and promote collaborative networking between researchers and technology developers to drive innovation in animal behavior modeling.

In-Person Option

The in-person course includes morning lectures from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, lunch, activities led by instructors (such as walking or hiking) between 1:00 - 3:00 PM, hands-on workshops from 3:00 - 6:00 PM and informal evening discussions after dinner. In addition, participants will have additional opportunities to interact with faculty on special outings and during a poster session.

Virtual Option

The virtual audience will have access the live-stream of morning lectures from (approximately) 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT and will have the ability to ask questions at the end of each lecture through a virtual Q+A function. In addition, all lectures will be recorded and posted within 72 hours of airing on a centralized Canvas course that participants will have access to for six months following the course.

The virtual audience will not have access to live or recorded versions of workshops or evening discussions.

The 2023 course schedule is currently being developed. Please view the 2022 schedule for an idea of course content and flow

In-Person Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Mac or Windows operating system (not a tablet, Chromebook, etc.) that they have administrative privileges on. You will also need a reasonably up-to-date browser, such as a current version of the Chrome, Safari or Firefox browsers (some older browsers, including Internet Explorer version 9 and below, are not supported). Basic scripting or programming knowledge is suggested but not required.

This program is supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The content is solely the responsibility of the organizers and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Registration

In-Person Registration

Registration Fee: $1,300; Optional Shared Lodging Fee: $150

Register Now

Course/Workshop registration fees include all workshop materials, supplies, and most meals. Optional shared lodging is available at the Highseas Conference Center for an additional cost.

Payments:

Registration is only confirmed once full payment has been received. Payment in full is due 45 days before the start of the course. You can pay using Visa, Mastercard, or American Express during registration or select Check Payment. If paying by academic or personal check, payment is due immediately upon acceptance into the workshop. Checks should be made payable to The Jackson Laboratory and mailed to Bank of America, 90260 Collection Center Dr, Chicago, IL 60693.Be sure to include your name and the event title on any checks. Wire transfers will be accepted only with prior authorization; contact the event planner for further instructions. All bank charges associated with payment are the responsibility of the course participant.

Receipts:

Receipts will be provided automatically when payment is received via email through the registration system.

Cancellations and Refunds:

To receive a refund on registration, written cancelation (email) must be received 30 calendar days prior to the start date of the course. Refunds will be subject to administrative fees as follows:

If canceled prior to 30 days from the course start date, you will be refunded your registration & lodging fee less 10% of fees paid as an administrative registration fee.
If canceled 14-29 days prior to the course start date, you will be refunded 50% of your registration & lodging fees.
If canceled less than 14 days prior to the course start date, no refund is available.

If the attendee is not able to attend the course but would like to send a qualified colleague in your place, JAX will transfer your registration to your colleague’s registration at no additional cost.

Virtual Registration

Standard Registration Fee: $325; Scholarship Applicant Registration Fee: $25

Register Now

Virtual registration includes live access to all didactic lectures, and access to lecture recordings for 3 months after the conclusion of the event. Due to speaker permissions, some lectures may not be recorded.

Payments:

Payment is due at the time of registration via credit card. If you are unable to pay via credit card, please contact the event planner before registering for instructions.

Receipts:

Receipts will be provided automatically when payment is received via email through the registration system.

Cancellations and Refunds:

To receive a refund on registration, written cancelation (email) must be received 30 calendar days prior to the start date of the course. Refunds will be subject to administrative fees as follows:

If canceled prior to 30 days from the course start date, you will be refunded your registration fee less 10% of fees paid as an administrative registration fee.
If canceled 14-29 days prior to the course start date, you will be refunded 50% of your registration fees.
If canceled less than 14 days prior to the course start date, no refund is available.

Scholarship application

Registration Fee: $1,300; Optional Shared Lodging Fee: $150

Apply Now

Scholarships are available for this course, and are made possible by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NIH Grants, foundation awards and gifts or donations to The Jackson Laboratory. The Jackson Laboratory strongly encourages students, post-doctoral fellows, or junior faculty from populations under-represented in the biomedical sciences to register, with a preference for those currently enrolled in or working at a U.S. institution. Underrepresented populations are defined by the National Institutes of Health, see NIH NOT-OD-20-031 for definitions.

Scholarship applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Course/Workshop registration fees include all workshop materials, supplies, and most meals. Optional shared lodging is available at the Highseas Conference Center for an additional fee.

Payments:

Payments will not be charged until your scholarship application has been reviewed. If you supply a credit card at the time of registration, a pre-authorization may be placed on the card.

Registration is not confirmed until full payment has been received (less any scholarships). Payment in full is due 45 days prior to the start of the course. During registration you can pay using Visa, Mastercard, or American Express or select Check Payment. If paying by academic or personal check, payment is due immediately upon acceptance into the workshop. Checks should be made payable to The Jackson Laboratory and mailed to Bank of America, 90260 Collection Center Dr, Chicago, IL 60693. Be sure to include your name and the title of the event on any checks. Wire transfers will be accepted only with prior authorization; contact the event planner for further instructions. All bank charges associated with payment are the responsibility of the course participant.

Receipts:

Receipts will be provided automatically when payment is received via email through the registration system.

Cancellations and Refunds:

To receive a refund on registration, written cancelation (email) must be received 30 calendar days prior to the start date of the course. Refunds will be subject to administrative fees as follows:

If canceled prior to 30 days from the course start date, you will be refunded your registration & lodging fee less 10% of fees paid as an administrative registration fee.
If canceled 14-29 days prior to the course start date, you will be refunded 50% of your registration & lodging fees.
If canceled less than 14 days prior to the course start date, no refund is available.

If the attendee is not able to attend the course but would like to send a qualified colleague in your place, JAX will transfer your registration to your colleague’s registration at no additional cost.

On-Campus

Lodging accommodations at JAX’s Highseas Conference Center is available for an additional fee. Highseas, located approximately 1 mile from The Jackson Laboratory, is a spacious estate built in 1912, overlooking the entrance to Frenchman Bay and adjacent to beautiful Acadia National Park. Highseas is handicap accessible (please indicate accessibility needs in registration). This lodging option cannot accommodate families. Rooms may be shared with other participants.

Off-Campus

Participants choosing off-campus lodging are responsible for securing arrangements and may refer to the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce website for a guide on hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, and short-term rentals in the Bar Harbor area.

Meals will be provided by JAX’s campus dining services throughout the event. Participants staying off-campus may still partake in evening meals at Highseas. Please refer to the event schedule for more information.

Participants must adhere to Maine State travel, health and safety guidelines at the time of the event and use good judgement when arranging lodging. We recommend participants be familiar with their hotel’s cancellation policies prior to booking. The Jackson Laboratory is not responsible for lodging expenses or losses incurred due to the cancellation or rescheduling of an event.

Air
Bar Harbor is serviced by two airports:

Hancock County/Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) – 20 minutes away
Bangor International Airport (BGR) – 1hr 15 minutes away

Public transportation is not available from local airports. Please visit the Bar Harbor and Bangor airport services webpages for information on shuttles to and from Mount Desert Island. Rideshare options like Uber or Lyft are not commonly available.

Ground
Bar Harbor is approximately 5 hours by car from the greater Boston area. Rental cars are available from Hertz at either nearby airport. Additionally, there is a free Island Explorer bus system which can be used around the island and the national park.

Additional Area Information:

Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Acadia National Park

Event Contact

Stefanie Roth, MBA

People

Become A Sponsor

Supporters

A Grant to The Jackson Laboratory From the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Through the Science Education Program

The Short Course on the Application of Machine Learning for Automated Quantification of Behavior

Location: Hybrid - The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor ME, & Virtual